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This is Scientific American's 60-Second Science, I am Karen Hopkin. This will just take a minute.

I once took part in a vodka tasting contest, in which participants tried to tell an expensive brand from a cheap one. I don’t recall the exact outcome, for obvious reasons. But I do know that several people swore they could taste the difference.

Well, maybe they could. Because according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, different vodkas can have different molecular¹ “structures,” which could drive drinkers to favor one brand over another.

Vodka’s an alcoholic² beverage³ that’s supposed to be relatively⁴ flavorless. So researchers got to wondering: how come people who enjoy the stuff often express brand preference?

Being good little scientists, they trotted⁵ out their spectroscopic equipment and examined the chemical signatures of five different vodkas. What they found is that each brand differs in how its ethanol molecules⁶ cluster. In the ethanol-water mix we call vodka, some of the ethanol molecules get surrounded by a sort of “cage” made of water. And different brands differ in how much ethanol is caged. Vodkas with fewer cages might seem more “watery” than those with more structure.

Of course, drink enough of the stuff and it really won’t matter how tightly caged it is. You’ll be loose as a grey goose.

Thanks for the minute for Scientific American's 60-Second Science. I am Karen Hopkin.

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收听单词发音

1 molecular
adj.分子的；克分子的
参考例句：
The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。

2 alcoholic
adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者
参考例句：
The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。 Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

3 beverage
n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料
参考例句：
The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。 Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

4 relatively
adv.比较...地，相对地
参考例句：
The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。 The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 trotted
小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )；匆匆忙忙地走
参考例句：
She trotted her pony around the field. 她骑着小马绕场慢跑。 Anne trotted obediently beside her mother. 安妮听话地跟在妈妈身边走。

6 molecules
分子( molecule的名词复数 )
参考例句：
The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。 Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。